Norwegian billionaire builds a vessel that collects trash

Kjell Inge Rokke, one of Norway's richest men, decided to develop a giant vessel capable of collecting and melting up to five tonnes of plastic every day.

The Research Expedition Vessel (REV) is a 595-feet-long boat (182 meters) designed by Espen Oeino which holds 60 researchers and 30 crew members.

The super boat will be managed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Norway and equipped with energy management systems, a laboratory, aerial and aquatic drones, an auditorium, two helipads, multiple work boats, and several other scientific facilities.

"We will experiment with ways to catch plastic out of the sea. I want to give back to society the bulk of what I've earned. This ship is a part of it…sea covers 70 percent of Earth's surface, and much is not researched," Rokke told newspaper Aftenposten.

Kjell Inge Rokke has a fortune estimated at $2.6 billion. He built his seafood and shipping empire from scratch, but he recently declared he plans to give away a significant share of wealth.

"I look forward to working with scientists, marine experts, environmentalists, and positive, knowledgeable, solution-oriented people both in Norway and internationally. The ship will be offered as an arena for scientists and explorers from all over the world."

The Research Expedition Vessel will be ready to sail the oceans of the world by 2020, and all expenses will be paid by the billionaire.